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Jesse Callender, 26, is originally from Colorado, but had been staying with his mother in Maryland for the past week. A criminal complaint shows that he is charged with attempted homicide, robbery, aggravated assault and terroristic threats, and a misdemeanor count of reckless endangerment.

Callender's mother told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that the man has a history of mental health issues, including schizophrenia.

"He took my van and took off. We didn't know. I was at work. He just took off and took the van," Rebecca Callender said. "I don't know what went on last night. I have no idea. All I know is I got a call that his intestines and colon had been shot up."

Unbeknownst to her, Jesse Callender took her van and her dog while she was at work Wednesday and started heading west, stopping in Murrysville for gas, she said. Her dog is at Hoffman Kennels, where she intended to pick up the animal.

Police said Jesse Callender stopped for gas at the Marathon station on Route 22, where he grew angry while talking with a clerk. He mentioned a gun and went outside to the van, police said. The employee locked the doors, got all the customers to huddle in a corner and called police.

"The suspect entered the Marathon gas station and convenience store and was unable to pay for his gas. He threatened the clerk and told him if the suspect did not get gas, he was going to get a gun and come into the store," police said in a written statement. "The clerk notified 911, and officers from Murrysville Police Department responded. Upon their arrival, the suspect fired at the officers and they returned fire and struck the suspect."

Callender was taken to Forbes Hospital, then flown to Allegheny General Hospital, where he had surgery for intestine and colon wounds.

"You never want this to happen," Police Chief Thomas Seefeld said. "Our officers are trained very well, very professional, very skilled at what they do, and obviously, our job out there is to protect life, and from the information I received, this was a definite threat to life."

The criminal complaint identifies Murrysville officers Matthew Mastorovich and Brian Sadlowe as being involved in the gas station shooting.

Westmoreland County detectives are investigating. The Murrysville officers involved in the shooting have 18 and two years, respectively, with that police department. They are on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Jesse Callender's Facebook page shows two status updates just hours before the shooting. At 5:40 p.m., he posted, "Why the (expletive) is there still no (expletive) money on my (expletive) card? You are all dead as dirt until you (expletive) cough it up."

At 5:41 p.m., he posted, "My bag of change was stolen in Keyser. I am down to $.75. You are all dead. My (expletive) mother (expletive) Walmart money card better have money on it soon. I'm heading for Interstate 70. I will hit exit 41B or west or something like that. You're all dead. Denver or bust."

Rebecca Callender said her son had been living with her for the past week in Maryland. She said he had an argument with her ex-husband in Colorado and that she flew her son out to stay with her.

"He was a perfect child up to 17 when it hit him. He was a straight-A student. He was in the junior Olympics. He had his own business. He was perfect until the schizophrenia hit him," Rebecca Callender said. "Jesse is a good kid. He's just schizophrenic. We've been trying to get him help but there's no private facility that you can put him in. There's nothing for mental health."

Rebecca Callender said she was missing a small handgun, but she wasn't sure if that is the one her son used in the shooting. She said she has tried for nearly a decade to get her son help for his schizophrenia but that, since he's an adult, there isn't much she can do.

"Our mental healthcare system in this country is screwed up. If you're on drugs or alcohol, they put you in treatment centers for 30, 60, 90 days. If you're mental, they flush you through it in three days and you're out," Rebecca Callender said.